Folding shipping-crate



(Model.) I I 2 Sheds-Sheet I.

y S. G. TRAVIS.

. FOLDING SHIPPING CRATE.

No. 385,972. Patented July 10,1888.-

i Il

(Model.) K V- I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

I I s. C..V TRAVIS.

IOLDIIIQ SHIPPING CRATE. l r 10.385,972.. Patented July 1o, 1888.`

ny- 5- d V -UNITED ySTATES l sAMUnL G. frnAvis, on

FoLmNe sHl PATENT OFFICE.

Lnavmvwon'ru, KANSAS.

PPlNG-CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent' No. 385,972, dated July l?, 1888. Application ilcd January 3l, 188B. Serial No. 262,548. (Model.)

.To allwwm b vmay conceive:

Be it known that LSAMUnL G. TnAvrs, a citizen of the United States, residing,r at Leavenworth, in the county of Leavenworth and State ot' Kansas, have inyented certain new and useful Improvemenisiin Folding ShippingA Crates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description f the saine, reference being had to the anneXed drawings, making a part ol` this specil tication, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in shipping-crates of that class designed to be folded, as hereinafter described, into small compass for Athe purpose of transportation or storage; and 'It-he invention consists in the peculiar' combinations andthe novel construction, arrangement, and adaptation of paris, all as more fully hereinafter dcseribed, shown in the drawings, and then particularl y pointed out in the claims. i

In the drawings, Figure l represents a perspective View of a crate constructed in accordance with my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are de tail perspective views, more particularly hereinafter referred to. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view ot' the door in the lower portion of the crate slightly open. Fi g. 5 is a-detail plan of a portion of the top, showing the keeper and clamp. Fig. (5, is a sectional detail showing thehinge-connection of the bottom.

The body of the crate is composed of slats A, connected together at their ends and also ucar the center of their length by the cords or wires l (or webbing or other like material, if desired) in such a manner that it can readily be folded for shipment or other purposes. The bottom C of the crate is hinged at one side to one or more et' said slats by means of a wirev connection, a, as shown, and is provided with cross-bars b, which engagckccpers c, secured to the slats to keep thcsame imposition. When it is desired to disengage the bottom from the keepers, the slats carrying the keepers on one side can be pulled ont sufficiently to release the cross-bars at that side, when the bottom can be pushed upward into the crate.

NVhen used for poultry or the like', where a partition is needed, l provide aremovable central partition, 1:,which isprovided with cross bars d, designed to rest upon keepers or snp ports r:,whieh are secured to the slats A. Two of the slats marked A are separated just below'thcir conter and conncctml by two crosspieres, f. letween the n pper portions ol" these two slats works the bar E, which is slidingly connected with the'upper and central wires, l, by uneans et' the elo'|1y ;ated cycs or loops 11. The lower end oi the bar ll extends sni'iiciently i'ar to engage between the cross-pieccsf, as shown.

aud is provided with cross-harsh.,which u'pon one end engage between the top wire, B, and the wire'i, secured to the top ot' the slats. rlhis tup is provided with a door, (i, hinged at It, and is designedto be locked in its closed position by means ot' a keeper, ll, pivoted at one end, as at l, to one of the slats A, and extended across the door outside one of the slats, with its end bent in and secured back ot' the next slat. When it is desired to place articles in or remove them from the lower compartment, the slide E is raised to disenga'ge from the pieces f of the slats A,when the said slats can he turned on their hinge, as shown in Fig. 4. The lower ends of the slats A' are connected by a bar, t, to strengthen them. When the crate is to be .pipp'ed empty, the body of the crate is presse( tiat, the bottom being turned on its hinge so :is to lie dat within the body, and the top and central partition are placed within the body againstthc bottom. \Vhen the crate is to be set up, the body is made to assume a cylindrical shape, the' bottom is pressed into place, the central partition pnt in, as shown in Fig. 1, and. the top is then placed on and the keeper and clamp secured, as Shown in the same figure.

NVhile I have shown my crate as circular, do not wish to be confined to such shape, as it is evidentthat they may be made square-oe tagonal, or other shapes, if desired.

What l claim as new is l.. The combination, in a crate, of theslatted body, the removable iop provided with crossthe keepers secured thereto, and the bottom hinged to said body, and the cross-bars secured to said 'bottom and engaging said keepers, substantially as described.

rlhe top F is preferably slatted, as showin,

bars engaging keepers on the slats of the body,

2. The combination, with the slotted body and tho Wire B, connect/ing the tops of the slats thereof, of tho wire t', secured toA the tops of the slats, the top provided with cross-bars 5 resting on said wire and having a hinged door,

and the clamp and keeper H, pivoted toone of Said slats, substantiel] y als described.

3. The folding shipping-crate described, consisting of the foldingbody A, the bottom 1o hinged thereto, the removable central partition having cross-oars engaging keepers on the body, the removable top having.,r gross-bars and a pivoted door, the wire ,-seeured to the tops of the slats of the body, and the clamp :md

keeper H, pivoted to one of the slots of the body and extended across the door of the top, all substantially as shown and described.`

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses. i

" SAMUEL. G. TRAVIS. Wi messes WHITSED LAMING, Jr. D. B. OAKS. f 

